Feast on cornucopia of wines on multi-faceted holiday

There's no agonizing over what to eat on Thanksgiving, but selecting wines is a different matter.

There's preparing the feast, watching the Macy's parade, then some football and finally consuming the meal itself. Each activity calls for its own special wine.

Wine lover Marshall Hanno of Bonita Springs starts the day with a sparkler.

"I am the cook in the family now that my son left for culinary school," he says. "We start preparing food at 10 a.m. and open some champagne. I like the Roederer Estate from California because it is inexpensive, available everywhere and always good."

Frank Pulice of Austin's Wine Cellar in Fort Myers has a similar philosophy.

"I like to start with a wine with bright light flavors," he says. "This day is intended to be bright. I especially like the Rieffel Cremant d'Alsace sparkling wine."

Moving into the early afternoon, wine devotee Jerry Greenfield of Fort Myers favors a New Zealand sauvignon blanc.

"There are tons of great wines available that are perfect for watching football early in the day," he says. "I like the Kim Crawford and the Nobilo Icon brands of New Zealand sauvignon blanc."

Angelo Fantozzi and Chateau D'Yquem at Haskell's. Angelo Fantozzi of Haskell's The Wine People in Naples turns to white burgundy for its crisp flavors.

"The Domaine Leflaive Mâcon Verzé is a 100 percent chardonnay with a wonderful clean taste and a nice lingering finish," he says. He also likes the Lange Estate Winery Pinot Gris from Oregon for its "nice crisp balance with complexity and a clean finish. That's something you want before the meal."

When it's time for turkey, Mr. Hanno says, "I like drinking a zinfandel or a cabernet sauvignon with Thanksgiving dinner because the flavors are rich and diverse."

Partial to zinfandel from Ridge and Rosenblum in California, he also has Bordeaux tucked away, including some from the 2000 vintage that's just now ready to drink. "We might pop the cork on 1999 Chateau Lynch Bages, or the 2000 Chateau Grand Pontet or Chateau Les Ormes de Pez," he says.

It's always good to have options.

For Mr. Greenfield, "pinot noir is a good goeswith just-about-anything wine," he says. A favorite is Domaine Serene from Oregon.

He's not alone in that thinking. Mr. Pulice says a pinot noir from France or Oregon has earthy flavors, which he likes "because the potatoes are roots with earthy flavors, and the turkey runs around in the field and picks up earthy notes. I like the Domaine Lucien Boillot Bourgogne" from France.

He also suggests King Estate Pinot Noir from Oregon because "they practice sustainable farming methods and the vineyards are certified organic. This one has a delicious fruitiness with underlying background of earthiness."

For something different that complements the meal's diverse flavors, Mr. Fantozzi likes Whispering Angel, a rose by Domaines Sacha Lichine.

"This wine is made from 100 percent grenache grape, has a nice aroma and is very pleasant in the mouth," he says. "It is light and crisp with a lingering finish and is a delightful wine for about $20 per bottle."

Dessert options are many.

Mr. Hanno likes port with Roquefort cheese. In his cellar he keeps Taylor-Fladgate, Fonseca and Croft.

Mr. Pulice favors moscato, specifically Dindarello Moscato del Veneto. "What I like is the hazelnut almond flavor mingled with pear and peach," he says.

Torlasco Moscato d'Asti is good for dessert as well, says Mr. Fantozzi. "It produces a sweet taste with a slight spritz to it and will go with any type of dessert."

And, he says, "don't neglect a great wine like Chateau d'Yquem" from the Sauternes district, which pairs magnificently with cheese and fruit.

With a selection like that, it would be hard to have a less than enjoyable Thanksgiving Day.

Wine picks of the week

Wine Spectator just released the Top 100 Wines for 2008. The full list is available on the Web site - www.winespectator.com - and in the magazine's Dec. 1 issue. Here are the top 10:

>>Casa Lapostolle Clos Apalta Colchagua Valley 2005: 96 points, an outstanding wine with complex bouquet and flavors. About $75.

>>Château Rauzan-Ségla Margaux 2005: 97 points, a top quality wine produced from the legendary 2005 vintage in Bordeaux. About $100.

>>Quinta do Crasto Douro Reserva Old Vines 2005: 95 points, a red table wine from the Douro Valley in Portugal, the traditional port district. About $40.

>>Château Guiraud Sauternes 2005: 97 points, the best wine ever made from this estate in Sauternes, which is a neighbor of Chateau D'Yquem. About $57

>>Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneufdu Pape La Crau 2005: 95 points, a unique single vineyard bottling. About $55.

>>Pio Cesare Barolo 2004 : 94 points, from one of the better known Piedmont estates. About $62.

>>Château Pontet-Canet Pauillac 2005: 96 points, this Bordeaux compares favorably with well known first-growth wines. About $100.

>>Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du- Pape 2005: 96 points, from one of the best producers of Rhone wines, it's normally rated in the top 10 and was wine of the year in 1991. About $95.

>>Mollydooker Shiraz McLaren Vale Carnival of Love 2007: 95 points, this wine consistently ranks in the top 10 each year. About $95.

>>Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma County 2007: 93 points, from a well-known California winery. About $24.